To think there is not enough disabled bays for how many badge users there are

[thecherryfox]

I have been disabled my entire life, as a kid and even as a teenager getting access to a disabled space was a lot easier than it is now. I believe now with the intake of how many people can access a badge with many different conditions - the amount of disabled bays have stayed the same but the influx of badge holders have risen.

Between 2021-2022 there was a 25% increase in blue badge holders from the previous year, but there wasn’t a 25% increase in disabled parking spaces. It’s rising each year, but there is no increase in parking spaces.

I’m physically disabled and the difference between me not getting a close space often means I cannot physically go. I know people with ‘hidden’ disabilities like bowel diseases would feel the same about accessing a close space. I’m truly not blaming individuals for getting badges because if they at eligible they are entitled to one - but it’s within the government to know that an increase of blue badge holders should mean an increase of spaces for people to access.

Definitely need more spaces. I know a few disabled people who have been using spaces for years and recently said how good it was that more people are eligible, forgetting that they now would find it even trickier to find a space.

Perhaps someone should petition the government as currently a car park only needs 6% of it's bays for disabled parking. I don't know how long it's been 6% but I imagine in more populated areas this is woefully inadequate.

However it should be policed more to stop people parking there who have no right to do. If the car parks are on private property then businesses are not going to employ a car park attendant just to stop non blue badge holders parking in disabled bays.

Every time we have a blue badge thread disabled people/carers all say there’s many times all the spaces are full yet people who aren’t disabled/carers are at pains to complain that the disabled spaces are always empty when they go. They must all live in the same magical town 🙄

I have to say that in the car parks I frequent the reverse is true - normal spaces all full but rows and rows of disabled spaces available. Though to be fair, as I’m not looking for a disabled space, I wouldn’t notice on the occasions the reverse was true.

I would never ever park in a disabled space (despite having a big car and 2 small children meaning parent and child spaces are extremely useful to me - sometimes physically cannot get the baby in/out in a normal space if the people either side are badly parked.) I just wouldn’t because I’d feel so bad if someone who needed it couldn’t us it. Plus I had assumed you would get a parking ticket for that in the same way you would for not paying, overstaying your time etc. is that not the case?

I used to bring my mum to stay with me from time to time. We always needed a loo stop on the way and I could never get a disabled space at the service station because of all the lazy people who didn't have blue badges taking up all the spaces. My poor mum always had such a struggle.
So many selfish people using spaces when they don't need them.
FIL had a wheel chair and so many times we would go somewhere and be unable to get him out of the car. It is exhausting.

Going to get bashed for this… I think it depends on the area you live in. Some areas don’t seem to care about using the bay if not disabled. Yes I don’t know if they are disabled etc but I can tell if they don’t have a child with them and it seems to be the case for those bays so I am extrapolating.
Therefore, it won’t matter how many spaces there are, they will fill up regardless. Meanwhile where I live they are permanently available despite having a high proportion of elderly residents.

Yanbu.

They have recently knocked down and re built the local theatre.

Next door to that was a multi story. It was needing to be so demolished due to danger and they built a single story car park. The multi story had 7 BB spaces per level and mostly they were always full.

New car park has 1/4 of the number of available spaces.

Many people spoke to the (now retired) councillor who is a known twat about this.

The only response anyone got is "we are having as many spaces as required by law"m when asked how they were going to manage providing enough spaces.

When I pushed him via email I got a an extremely - true to form - email back from him basically saying I'd know some answers to the questions if I was actually disabled.

To which I happily told him I am not disabled - that doesn't mean I, nor others, shouldn't be campaigning for equality and inclusion.

That one stumped him!!!

(My ds is disabled and has a BB but I didn't tell him that!)

Now when we go into town we can rarely find a BB space whereas previously it was never an issue.

Wherever I go the disabled bays are empty and everywhere else is full.

my friend had a problem where her husband with Alzheimer’s was refused a disabled badge years ago and the staff at the shops told her to use parent and child bays. There definitely need to be more of those.

however things have changed now and I actually know someone who has got a disabled badge who doesn’t need one. They were told if they applied again after being rejected that they’d get it and it happened. They’re old but they’re able bodied, I think it’s disgraceful.

I’ve never seen all the blue badge spaces taken in the larger car parks where I live. Obviously have in places there’s only 2 etc.

I take from that, that people who don’t actually have a blue badge, don’t park in them (broadly speaking), rather than thinking there’s an excess of blue badge spaces by the way!

I’m mystified by all the people saying they know of empty disabled spaces. Where I live there are three towns within an hour’s driving distance and none of them have sufficient disabled parking.

It has taken me two weeks to be able to get my glasses mended because every time I’ve gone to the shop I’ve not been able to park and had to come home.

Our nearest town is so bad that I just don’t bother going there any more - there is never a single spare space. Even the local out of town supermarkets are difficult at times.

I think the problem is two fold as the OP said - the huge increase in eligibility has meant lots more people with blue badges and there were never enough spaces to start with.

I was actually surprised yesterday to meet another wheelchair user at the supermarket yesterday - it’s so rare to see a physically disabled person in a blue badge space these days that it seemed almost strange.

It’s obvious from these comments that the situation differs across the country and I’d definitely be in favour of a tiered system where wheelchair users and people with other mobility aids have access to extra wide spaces and there are smaller ones for those who are more mobile and just need to be closer to the shop.

Round here BB holders tend to ignore the disabled spaces in the pay and display car parks (because they aren't exempt from paying) and just park on the double yellow lines on the side roads instead. I know they are allowed to do so, but in certain places where they park it's inconsiderate at best and dangerous at all, stopping emergency vehicles coming through etc....

Tbf I have pulled into a disabled space to wait for someone or faff on my phone before continuing my journey but ONLY if there are least 2 other free disabled spaces. If the free spaces became full while I was there I would move immediately, but that space isn’t needed in that moment if it’s the third available space.

Other than the hospital though, we’ve never struggled to find a free disabled spot for FIL who is a BB holder. I agree it’s a pain at the hospital but I think in the wider world there are adequate spaces in my experience.

Hams you are part of the issue.

My local leisure centre has 12 BB spaces. All in a row outside.

Many people "just pulling in to wait for someone". Great. There are admittedly 5/6/7 spaces still available.

However - whilst for your convenience we park further away from the entrance for you it's no issue - for my disabled ds who suffers severe muscle spasms and use of walking aid or wheelchair it means travelling further than he'd need to whilst in severe pain for your convenience.

If you don't have a Bb and aren't dropping off and/or collecting someone with a disability - just DON't USE THE SPACE.

It's easy. And makes you a decent human being.

Any other option makes you a complete dick. Pure and simple.

If you think your need for convenience trumps a disabled person need for inclusion and equality you're a waste of human empathy.

The rules need to change, and the proportion required needs to reflect the demographics of that area.
Hospitals possibly need more spaces.
That ancient theatre that only has 3 wheelchair accessible seats doesn't need a dozen spaces.

I'd say round here, it is usually disabled and electric spaces empty, and the rest of the carpark packed. That obviously isn't the experience of everyone, hence each carpark needs to be tailored to its users.

This is a particular problem in Norfolk where we have an ageing population where there are naturally a lot of older blue badge holders, coupled with people like me and my son (younger, hidden disabilities- I have lupus, bladder issues and all sorts and my son has autism and complex learning difficulties). I’ve noticed in the last few years it’s becoming harder and harder to find a disabled spot. Norfolk and Norwich hospital and the Riverside car park are particularly awful. If you need to be somewhere at a certain time you just literally have to hope and pray there’s a space. I need the width and of a disabled spot to get in and out of the car with my joint issues so if there’s no disabled spot I simply can’t park. That has meant missing hospital appointments at times even though I’ve given myself an extra hour to park!

In my town we have 3 very large Tescos. All have dozens of disabled bays, 2 of the tescos always have the spaces full, the other is always virtually empty and I've been there various days/times. They are all within a 15 min drive of each other.

P & C bays are nice and useful, but were never a deal breaker for me. I've had 3 kids, and I never used to get the baby seat out, I always wore a sling or just took the pushchair basinet (or if lucky, found a trolley with a lie down baby chair in it), I think the taking baby seats out the car are a "relatively" new thing. Wasn't really a big thing when I had my first child, by my 3rd child it was the norm to connect car seat to the pushchair frame. I always hated it though, because then baby is it the seat for ages! Still it's easier to pop baby in their seat through an open door and buckle them, than needing to fling the door open wide to get the entire seat in/out..

Maybe the badge scheme needs changing, blue badges for "mobility" spaces near the doors, then other spaces further away get a different colour badge for "needs more room"?

I don't agree with parking on double yellows. Yes, I get it, closer parking. But those lines are for safety reasons. At my kids primary school we have yellows next to a crossing and they are always parked on and it means you simply can't see the traffic coming down the road to know if if it's safe to cross. Been too many near misses.

I don't think you read that PP's post properly...how would them being temporarily in a disabled space whilst there are other available spaces impact on your DS getting a space? In this imagined scenario there are other available bays for DS anyway? And the PP said if they filled up then they would immediately leave and free up the bay. I don't even drive but common sense tells you this isn't an issue, it's not like they're actually parking there.

I disagree. Absolutely dozens of often unused disabled spaces at my local town and shopping centres. I view them as spaces for the physically disabled to be able to get in and out of vehicles safely, with minimum distance into the shop or supermarket. Whilst other hidden disabilities shouldn’t need these spaces, unless there are no other spaces. Someone with bowel issues isn’t going to be advantaged with a space next to the shop, as shops generally don’t have toilet facilities unless cafe etc. it’s just a case of people with the hidden disabilities also being conscious that others are a lot more in need of these spaces than they are, and therefore to use as appropriate.

Got to say that's not been my experience. When I take MiL (wheelchair user) places I find it about 100 times easier to find a parking space with a blue badge than I normally do without.

I was at tesco the other day and there where about 30 disabled bays. Only one was used. I think it depends on the area.

You clearly have no idea about bowel / bladder issues. It isn’t just about being able to be near a toilet by parking nearer to shops (although this is part of it) it’s also about not having to suffer the indignity of shitting or peeing yourself in public without being able to get back to your car quickly- not to mention the sudden pain and discomfort often associated with bowel and bladder conditions which can often mean you have to suddenly completely abandon an outing half way through and limp back to your car. I have these types of issues and it’s awful.

I have seen a few people mention P and C spaces and making the normal comparisons.

can I just clarify they aren’t the same.

P and C spaces are a curtesy normally provided by shops which are handy if you can get one but not an issue if you can’t. Many places don’t have P and C and parents still manage.

Disabled spaces are legally required and that’s because without them many people with disabilities are unable to go out and access the world at all. They need those spaces.

YABU. I’m sick of seeing rows of empty disabled bays in otherwise full car parks.

Eh? Lots of people can’t drive due to their disabilities….they still have a blue badge tho and use the spaces

I’ve noticed that the out of town supermarkets/shopping centres have plenty of blue badge spaces and are never full. Our big Sainsbury’s has a 2 storey carpark and about a third of the ground floor is blue badge spaces. Whenever I’ve been in there, it’s never more than half full.

However, blue badge parking in town doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.

There’s a huge park and ride carpark with loads of BB spaces - which are never full. The long stay carpark which is slightly out of town has lots of BB spaces which are also never full. The pay and display carparks/on street blue badge parking spaces actually in the town centre are always full. The biggest p&d carpark in town only has 4 bb spaces. There are only 2 bb spaces in the on-street parking in the high street and are always full. It would make more sense to up the BB parking in town, and reduce the spaces out of town. I suppose the council can claim they’re fulfilling the required disabled parking spaces, but it doesn’t seem to work for those needing to use it.